Through The Murky Waters: Comrade in Arms
by keenbeanz
Summary: Well it was more of a 'If we help each other get out of this mess we can kill each other later' match, and Percy despite his confidence and glaring powers was pretty sure he was losing, and miserably at that.


**Requested by: **princessgothicfull and a Guest.

**Pairing: **Percy/Ares

**I in no way own PJatO**

He stared back at the man defiantly, green eyes meeting pits of fire and fury as they continued their grudge match.

Well it was more of a 'If we help each other get out of this mess we can kill each other later' match, and Percy despite his confidence and glaring powers was pretty sure he was losing, and miserably at that.

But that could just be because he had just been stabbed in the upper thigh, and standing was starting to become painful and tiresome.

"Fine." He grunts turning away from the god to face the empousa who has taken it upon its self to circle them in a threatening manner. "You can fight the boss." He grunts advancing.

He doesn't see the god smile back at him in victory, because by that time he has already engaged in a full out battle with the empousa.

* * *

"_It hurts."_

"_Just keep walking, we will make it, you'll see."_

"_I don't think I can."_

"_Move. That's an order."_

* * *

"Brrrgrrrgg." Percy clenches his arm around his stomach tighter, a frown pinching his features as he stares ahead at the dusty plains in front of him.

"Hungry, Punk?" the god says behind him, Percy doesn't look up at him and instead keeps is focus on the road they are travelling upon.

"So what if I am?" he replies back waiting for the god of war to make fun of him or start an argument with him and blame him for getting stuck in this wasteland with no way out.

Percy would agree that, yeah it may be partly his fault but if Ares hadn't started a fight with Chronos the primordial god of time, not the Titan who ate his children and recently tried to take control of the world again, they would definitely not be in this mess, a mess that has left the god of war with virtually no powers.

Although he still has that handy power of pissing everything off in sight.

There is a creak of leather that Percy has come to associate with the god raising his arm to scream profanities at the sky, or a simple shrug of his shoulders.

"Well," the god starts and Percy takes a brief moment to look at him. And well the god has definitely seen better days; his face looks as if it has aged 200 years. "We could stop to eat. You need to rest that leg anyway."

Percy freezes then and looks up at the god who has also stopped, his eye brows raised in a questioning manner.

"Are you feeling okay?" Percy asks then, concerned that the malicious god is acting nice and well… peculiar.

Ares takes a moment to reply, in that time Percy watches a myriad of different facial expressions cross his face, before it slowly settles on his usual snarl. "I'm fine ya Nancy." He grunts Pushing Percy out of the way as he continues his stride.

Percy watches the god in confusion.

"Worse than Annabeth at that time of the month." He mutters.

"I heard that!"

Percy races to catch up with the god.

* * *

"_Does it look infected?"_

"_No. It looks fine. You are fine."_

"_I know I am."_

"…"

"_Am I going to die?"_

* * *

"This means nothing right?" Percy gasps out as Ares mouth plasters wet and sloppy kisses all over his neck and chest trailing lower, and lower.

"Mmhmm." The god replies in a quick mumble, his tongue swirling around the man's nipples.

"I-I'm not going to have Aphro- Oh Gods- dite on my back am I?" Its ecstasy, he swears he has already died and he is on the Isles of the Blest. With Ares torturing him in the most pleasurable ways he can imagine.

Never in his wildest fantasies would he have thought this is what would happen when he woke up in this hell hole.

* * *

"_Stop crying." _

"_I'm not crying."_

"…"

"…"

"_Can you even cry?"_

"_You will never find out, punk."_

* * *

Percy's arm sits slung around the gods shoulder and he slowly hops towards the watering hole not thirty miles ahead of them.

"The water should heal you." Ares grunts as he practically carries the boy towards the rippling surface. Percy winces slightly as he hops over a rock jarring his swollen leg.

"Should?" he asks giving the War god a strained look.

Ares stays silent as they continue along their path. Percy would kill for his iPod right about now as they continue on their way in silence.

"You know," Ares starts as they make their way a little closer to the water, Percy un-scrunches his brows and looks up at the god, they stop for a moment. Percy almost falls flat on his arse if it weren't for Ares gripping his arm with an unusual amount of strength. "I'm actually glad I'm not here alone."

"Cute." Percy scoffs turning around and facing the watering hole again. Ares frowns and shakes his head, pulling Percy's arm around him once more.

* * *

"_You know we would move a lot faster if you let me carry you."_

"_Ares, if I ever let you or anyone else in this gods forsaken wasteland carry me, it will only be when I'm on my deathbed."_

* * *

Ares scans the area carefully his eyes returning back to the marble pillar that lays sideways along the rocky ground. He frowns suddenly.

"What is it?" Percy asks perched atop a rock just a few feet away, he holds a stick in his hand that he was been using to practice his hand eye co-ordination with, or at least that is what he told the war god when he was throwing it up in the air and catching it again.

"A temple." The god grunts turning back towards Percy with a strange snarl.

Percy stares at the god as if he has suddenly gone mad. "Isn't that a good thing? Means we are close to Olympus right?"

Ares shakes his head and looks back at the pillar. He frowns again. "No good kid." He sighs loudly and rubs the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"Why?" Percy questions, Ares can't look at him. Not yet.

"This was a bad time for the gods." Is all he says.

"What do you mean?" Ares grunts again and looks up at the setting sun.

"We should find some shelter."

"Ares?"

* * *

"_Do you think they are trying to find us?"_

"…"

"_I think they are."_

"_You're optimistic today aren't you."_

"_After the week I've had, optimism can't hurt."_

* * *

The wind strikes Percy flat on the back, he almost collapses to the ground, Ares along with him.

"What in Hades?" Percy grunts as he makes an attempt to stand, his arms and legs however refuse to work properly.

Beside him Ares scrambles to his feet and gives the son of Poseidon a hand. "You right kid?"

Percy frowns and dusts himself off, his body feels almost numb and his chest burns but he gives the god a grin. "Yeah I'm good." The wind was somewhat unexpectedly strong, yet not unusual in the mountain region they are traversing. They had experienced few gusts that had almost knocked Percy clean off the edge and yet each and every time Ares didn't move an inch… until now. "Are you feeling okay?" He questions suddenly looking back up at the god.

Ares frowns and nods his head dismissively. "Yeah." He growls. "I'm fine." He kisses the top of Percy's forehead and urges the boy to move on.

Percy does with a half bitten lip and a shrug.

He misses the sly look the god of war gives his hand.

* * *

"_You feel hot."_

"_I am hot."_

"_I think you have a fever."_

"_It's probably nothing."_

"…"

"_It has to be nothing, right?"_

* * *

The rain is pouring down with a vengeance. Percy frowns as he cuddles up into himself, his leg has swollen and hurts with every intake of breath. He closes his eyes and thinks back to his family and friends back in the future.

He frowns as tears well up in his eyes a sudden hopelessness burns like a pit in his gut.

"I'm sorry." Ares whispers from the back of the cave.

Percy shakes his head and attempts to rock back and forth in his huddled position. It hurts too much so Percy instead wobbles his head from side to side.

"It's not your fault."

"It kind of is." Ares says, there is the sound of movement as the god moves forward to sit next to him.

"It's Chronos' fault."

An arm is thrown around Percy, the younger male suddenly feels warmer and safer. He smiles into the feeling and leans towards the god.

"Let's agree to disagree."

* * *

"_Ares?"_

"_What kid?"_

"…"

"_Punk?"_

"_Can you carry me?"_

"… _Thought you'd never ask."_

* * *

"OKAY CHRONOS?!" Ares screeches into the sky, his arms outstretched as his trademark leather jacket is now tied firmly around his waist, Percy had almost commented that it looked like a skirt, if it weren't for the fact that Ares may have killed him for saying it. "YOU'VE HAD YOUR FUN!"

"I don't think he heard you." Percy chokes out in a coughing fit.

Ares gives him a sideways glance before looking back up at the sky and screaming again.

That's when Percy falls back asleep.

* * *

"_I'd kill for some cereal." _

"_I'm sure Demeter would be proud."_

"_Fine. What would you rather?"_

"_Pizza."_

"…"

"_You don't like Pizza?"_

"_Can't say I'm a fan."_

"_Gods. It's like I don't even know you."_

* * *

Percy is faintly aware he is being carried somewhere, mostly because recently all he has done is being carried.

"Hold on kid" Ares pants, is he running? Percy jostles once, twice and mumbles something out that sounds like 'Faster horsy.' Ares takes no notice of him instead keeping up his quick pace. "I'm almost at the water."

Percy doesn't know why Ares has been running from waterhole to waterhole, or if he even has been. All Percy knows is that sometimes he will wakeup immersed in some form of water, being held or Ares trying to spoon feed him some kind of dead animal that has been burnt over a fire.

But the water isn't working, in fact nothing is working, so why is the god even trying to save him? Percy knows how this will end for him and so does Ares to some extent.

"Just let me sleep." He slurs out his hand raises a little as he swats the gods chin. Ares pays no heed.

"Shh, stay awake Jackson. Please just stay awa-"

Percy is asleep before Ares can finish the sentence.

* * *

"_I'm sorry my powers can't work."_

"…"

"_I'm trying."_

"…"

"_Please stay with me."_

"…"

"_I can't keep losing people."_

* * *

In a moment of Clarity Percy reaches up towards the god and frowns.

"Since when do gods sweat?"

Ares looks up from his seated vigil over Percy with a smirk.

"You're awake?"

Percy coughs again; his head suddenly feels as if it weighs a million tonnes. "The question" he winces and shakes his head slightly but it makes his head feel worse. "Ares?"

Ares is silent. Percy is just about to get up from his position on the floor and march towards the war god, but as if sensing a disturbance Ares finally answers.

"It's the fall of the Greek Empire and the rise of the Roman."

Percy frowns. "Not really answering the question."

Ares sighs and smirks a little, worry lines appear on his forehead. Percy wonders just how long the god has been awake. "There was a brief disturbance in our powers due to the sudden shift of culture. This meant for a time we were more mortal than immortal."

Percy wonders when he grew dumber then the god of war.

* * *

"_Will you sing for me?"_

"_Pfft who do you think I am? Apollo?"_

"_You're right what else did I expect._

* * *

Percy opens his eyes briefly to liquid tears streaming down Ares cheeks. The sunglasses remain intact and on the gods face.

Ares sniffles and wipes a few tears off his cheeks

"Hey kid. Thought I lost you then." His voice sounds rough and thick with emotion.

"T-tell mum and Paul I love them and I'm sorry for leaving them all the time."

"No kid." Ares grunts in reply a hand brushes hair out of Percy's eyes. "You are going to tell them that yourself."

Percy smiles sadly at the god. He blinks once and twice.

"Tell Dad that I hope I made him proud."

"Fish breath won't listen to me." Ares shakes his head with a fond smile; tears continue to roll down his cheeks.

Percy is mesmerised by the liquid goo that almost looks like lava, briefly he wonders if it will burn him.

"And my friends that- that I'm sorry for everything." Tears are freely streaming down Percy's own cheeks he tries to sniffle them up but the energy he musters up leaves almost immediately. "And Ares." He says finally mangled sob escapes his dry lips. "Kick Chronos a new one when you see him."

Ares tries his best to hold back the tears but finds it almost impossible as he looks down at the younger boy.

"I swear it on the Styx."

Percy smiles once more before his eyes droop close for one final time.

* * *

"_I love you."_

"_I think I love you too."_

**Still with me? I did attempt to keep them in character, not to sure how that went but fudge it.**

Percy/Calypso

Percy/Hebe

Percy/Mnemosyne

Percy/Heracles

Percy/Iris

Percy/Tartarus

Percy/Persephone

Percy/Thanatos

Percy/Hyperion

Percy/Bellona


End file.
